


Together

by CameoAmalthea



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Universe, Christmas, HGTV TV makes this look easy, M/M, New Years, Post-Canon, Post-Kingdom Hearts III, Puppies, Roomates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:48:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21881770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CameoAmalthea/pseuds/CameoAmalthea
Summary: A gift for KaoruRoxas and Xion have a proposal. Axel is skeptical at first but accepts.
Relationships: Axel/Roxas (Kingdom Hearts), Axel/Roxas/Xion (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17
Collections: Secret Santa 2019





	1. DAY 97

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kaoru_chibimaster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaoru_chibimaster/gifts).



Axel sat on the ledge of the clock tower, one leg dangling over the ledge and the other knee pulled up as he casually leaned on one hand. In his other he held a light blue ice cream bar. He stared out over the rooftops. The sunset’s light was golden. Just as it always was...How many days had they done this together? Axel didn’t keep count. There was no point keeping track of time as a Nobody. Time didn’t really apply. 

Roxas was so new to it all. It reminded Axel of just how long he’s been in it. When he first saw him he’d thought the boy in the white shirt was at least ten years younger than himself. But age wasn’t something that existed for Nobodies. Roxas looked about sixteen...Axel was a year or so older than that when time stopped mattering. Age didn’t exist. Change didn’t exist. Years passed and he knew they passed, but nothing could change when at the heart of it, heh, _you_ didn’t exist.

“So Axel, do you want to move in together?” asked Roxas.

The question startled Axel from his thoughts. 

“What?” he turned and looked over at Roxas and Xion. 

“The three of us,” said Roxas. “I know we all technically live at the castle now, but it’s not really a home. This would be ours.”

“Live together…” said Axel, still wrapping his mind around what had just come out of Roxas’s mouth, “the three of us.” 

“Uh huh!” joined Xion enthusiastically, “After we finish Kingdom Hearts!” She grinned at him over her ice cream bar. 

As if they were just normal teens who could talk about getting their own place together and how awesome it would be to be roommates. As if they had a future. Age wasn’t something that mattered to nobodies, and living forever meant all the dreams about how awesome it would be when you were older didn’t matter. 

And why should thinking about that hurt when he didn’t have the heart to fill.

Roxas cocked his head to the side. Axel hoped he didn’t take his silence as rejection. 

“I just...I never expected a proposal,” said Axel. Was that the right word? What did you call asking someone to move in with you? It was the kind of thing that was a big step, for real people who could take steps…

For the longest time the only steps he cared about, insofar as he could care, were the next steps in the plan he had with Isa-no, Saix now...turn against the Organization from the inside, escape, get their hearts, and find out what had happened to-

“Come on Axel,” said Xion. “Think about it. We spend all our free time together anyway.”

“Yeah,” joined Roxas, “Then we can keep eating ice cream together forever!”

“It’ll be fun!” added Xion.

Axel couldn’t help but laugh at that, even as he shook his head. “Hey...can’t you picture us doing anything other than eating ice cream?” 

Roxas and Xion looked at each other. 

He supposed they didn’t really do much else. Not a lot of time at the end of the day after missions. It wasn’t like that got a lot of days off and in Axel’s opinion, days off were for sleeping... But seriously, there was more to life than ice cream. Even if this was the only part of his current life (or unlife, whatever you’d call existing as a nobody) he enjoyed.

“Anything?” prompted Axel. 

“Nope!” they both said in unison. 

“We love ice cream,” said Xion. “And we love spending time with you and each other.”

“We’re best friends,” said Roxas.

Axel sighed...he’d had a best friend before and-well he knew things weren’t always so simple. 

“You know,” he said gently, “there’s more to living together than eating ice cream. You end up fighting over stupid stuff.”

“Hmm, you think so?” asked Roxas, taking a bite of his ice cream. He sounded so sad now...rejected. Axel hadn’t meant to hurt his feelings. It wasn’t personal.

He sighed and looked down, kicking his black booted foot as it dangled off the edge of the tower. He took a bite of the salty-sweet ice cream, chewed and swallowed. “Besides,” he said, not looking up from his ice cream bar. “It’s just not gonna happen. We’re Nobodies.” It wasn’t personal, it wasn’t about Roxas. He loved spending time with Roxas, and Xion too ...but what was the point of even thinking about future plans when they didn’t really exist. He hoped they didn’t believe all of Xemnas’s promises that they’d complete Kingdom Hearts and be human again and then they’d all just get to live their lives. 

“Yeah?” asked Xion. “So?”

“So you never know when we could fade into nothing,” said Axel. It was better not to hope. It would hurt less if you didn’t build yourself up or dare to dream of anything better than this half life, or whatever it was...This was all they had and it was better than being nothing. Hoping for more seemed like tempting fate. “It’s not a good idea to think too far in-” Axel stopped short when he looked at them. 

His eyes widened. Their faces were so sad and tragic enough that Axel thought if he’d had a heart it would have broken from that look. They looked like they might cry. 

“Don’t blame me for reality!” he snapped, face growing red. Great. Now their afternoon was ruined. Just fantastic. So much for trying to let them down easy. He didn’t want them to get hurt, and all he’d managed to do was hurt them now. 

Roxas and Xion looked at each other, and began to whisper. Their expressions shifting from sad to a sort of angry determination. 

Axel felt a smile playing on his lips despite himself. Roxas looked so...cute when he was angry. The look on both their faces was somehow priceless.

Roxas straightened, gripping his ice cream bar and he spoke. “Maybe it is just a dream! But it would be really great if we could always be together!” He spoke so emphatically in a voice strong enough to challenge fate itself to stand in his way. 

_Always be together,_ Axel turned the thought over in his mind. It was a nice dream, he had to admit. And Roxas sounded so certain...and despite everything Axel’s smile grew. 

“All right then,” he said, with a laugh, raising his ice cream bar as if in a toast, “I accept your proposal.” Something about them made Axel laugh like he had a heart. And dream as if a future was possible.

“Really?” said Roxas.

“Really,” Axel affirmed. 

“I can’t wait to fight over stupid stuff!” said Xion brightly.

“No not that!”

….

That night, after Axel had waved goodbye to Roxas as he set off on another mission, he wandered the halls of the castle that never was and mused to himself.

“Live together huh,” he murmured out loud. He paused beside the floor to ceiling window and stared out at Kingdom Hearts shining above him like a valentine candy moon. “...might not be such a bad idea.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Day 1

Lea sat on the floor in front of a pile of boxes. He looked at the large paper instruction manual. Outside the wind was howling and the old house seemed to groan from the blast. Outside the living room window the golden light was dappled with shadows as clouds rolled in. It was hard to believe it was winter already. That five months had passed since they’d found each other again at the battle of the Keyblade Graveyard.

So this was happily ever after.

He turned back to the instructions. The word  **LERHYTTAN** was printed in large, bold letters above a simplified picture of a cabinet. Lea thought the name sounded more like a type of giant Heartless than furniture but he just shrugged flipped through the pages. No written instructions, just simple cartoon pictures with numbered steps. It should be simple? At least it wasn’t in Arendellish. 

Wait how many steps were there? Did it come with all the screws-

“Aaah!” The scream, Roxas’s scream, came at the same time as a large crash and a thump. 

Lea was on his feet at once, headed to the stairs. 

“I’m ok!” Roxas voiced. Lea exhaled the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Right, so maybe just a little accident and everything was-

“Go get Axel!” he heard Roxas say. 

Not okay then. Lea headed upstairs taking them two at a time, only to be met by Xion on the landing. 

“Axel!” she cried, calling him the name she’d always known him by and he’d never correct them. “You have to shut off the water!”

“What?

“Roxas broke the sink?”

_ “What? _ How? _ ” _

“Well, Roxas was leaning on the sink while he was painting and well...it broke.” She brushed aside raven bangs. 

Lea pushed past her to look in the bathroom. There was Roxas pinned under the remains of the broken sink. He was surrounded by shattered ceramic shards that used to be the basin, but Lea didn’t see any blood. Roxas seemed fine, aside from the fact that he was covered in blue paint the exact shade of sea-salt ice cream.

“Are you all right?”

“Yeah,” said Roxas.

“How?”

“Well I was on top of the sink trying to reach the top corner of the wall and well…” Roxas shrugged his shoulders. 

Lea had no idea how Roxas had avoided: A) getting a concussion, B) getting his entire head covered in paint or, C) not breaking a pipe. But so far the bathroom didn’t look flooded and only Roxas’s clothes were harmed in the accident. 

“I’m sorry,” said Roxas.

“It’s fine,” said Lea, “I hated that sink anyway.” He forced a smile and laughed more in relief than anything. He carefully came into the bathroom and offered Roxas a hand up. “We should get you out of those clothes before the paint dries.” 

Roxas nodded. He then turned around began to peel off his paint soaked trousers. The paint had soaked through to his boxers those came off too.

At that moment Xion came back to stand in the door beside Lea. “Ok, I took care of shutting off the water-Oooh!” Her eyes widened and her face turned as red as a moogle’s pom-pom. 

Roxas turned and almost tripped over his trousers which were still dangering around his ankles. Lea moved to catch him before he fell. Roxas stumbled forward, right into Lea’s arms. Lea pulled Roxas against himself to stead him. 

Xion made a slight, squeaking squealing sound and Lea turned to see she was somehow redder than before and her mouth had fallen open. 

Lea felt his own cheeks heating up. He looked down at Roxas. “Why don’t we just sit you down again.” He lowered Roxas to the ground, then knelt down beside him. “I’ll help you get those off.”

“I think you’ll have to take your clothes off now too,” said Roxas. 

Lea looked down at himself, he was covered in a vaguely Roxas shaped paint splotch. He smiled and laughed softly “I guess so.” 

A small, choking sound came from Xion. She then burst out laughing. Roxas’s eyes widened as it dawned on him how that sounded. 

...

Several minutes and calls of “ I’m going to get naked, don’t get weird about this” later, Xion had managed to cut the two of them out of their shirts. Pants could be taken off easily enough, but removing paint covered shirts without getting paint in their hair was a different story. And as it turned out, keyblades were  _ not  _ designed to cut fabric. 

That left the two of them standing in the bathroom, Lea in just his boxers and Roxas in nothing at all. Well, nothing except paint, which had managed to get on Roxas’s skin as well as his clothes. 

“Okay, clothes off and I’m still covered in paint,” said Roxas, looking himself over in the mirror. 

“Um, well since the pipes weren’t broken, I could turn the water back on,” suggested Xion.

“But we don’t have any towels here,” said Roxas.

“Or clothes to change into,” Lea pointed out. Today was supposed to be a start working on getting the house ready to move in day. They hadn’t expected to need things like soap, towels, more clothes. 

“Okay, you guys wait here. I’ll run to Twilight Town center and pick up what we need,” said Xion. “Okay...body wash, clothes,” she counted on her fingers as she went along, “towels, probably some supplies to get-” she gestured broadly to the bathroom, “this cleaned up.” 

“But the nearest shops are on the other side of town,” said Roxas. “You’ll have to catch the train.”

“It’s no problem,” she said, reaching to the munny bag at her side and pulling out a card, “I’ve got a pass. And I’ll be back as soon as I can. Which….actually might be awhile...better get going.” She gave them a grin and headed out the door, leaving the two of them alone. 

“Well, I guess we’ll just stay here,” said Roxas. He shut the toilet lid so he could take a seat. 

“Yeah,” said Lea, looking around for a place to sit for a moment before opting to lean against the door frame, arms crossed. He glanced over his shoulder to the window at the end of the hall. The light outside was muted and gray. As he watched thick flakes of snow began to fall. “Oh man.”

“What is it?” asked Roxas looking up.

“Winter storm,” said Lea, “which means it might take Xion longer than expected.” 

“Oh, I didn’t hear it raining,” said Roxas. 

“Snowing,” Lea corrected. 

“It snows in this world?” asked Roxas. 

“Well yeah, in winter,” said Lea. “Sometimes. Guess we’re just lucky.” Roxas evidently did not hear the sarcasm in his voice as he cheerfully suggested.

“Do you want to build a snowman?”  
Lea laughed, “Roxas, we don't have any clothes and besides it hasn’t been snowing long enough to stick.” The wind howled again. 

“Well I don’t mean right now,” Roxas retorted, his voice somewhat shaky. Roxas wrapped his arms around himself. 

“You’re shivering,” said Lea.

“Well wet paint and no clothes is kind of cold,” said Roxas. His teeth started to chatter. “Ok, really cold.” 

“Come here,” siad Lea, “we’ll be warmer if we stand closer together. He walked back towards Roxas.   
Roxas stood and stepped towards him. “Just _don’t touch me_ , I’m soaked in paint and this stuff is not easy to get off,” he said. 

Lea cocked an eyebrow. 

“Riku brought Namine to meet Rapunzel to learn painting and then Namine asked if I wanted to come and...I’m a bit cold for story time right now.” 

Lea chuckled and pulled Roxas into his arms, holding him against himself. 

“Axel!” Roxas squirmed. “You’re getting paint all over yourself.”

“It’s fine,” said Lea, “you’re worth it.”

“And you’re  _ really _ warm,” Roxas sighed sinking into the embrace and resting comfortably against Lea’s chest. 

Lea wrapped his arms around Roxas and held him close. 

“This isn’t exactly how I pictured our first day at our new house,” said Lea. “But it’s actually not so bad.”

“It could be worse,” said Roxas, “We could be fighting over stupid stuff.”

They both burst out laughing then sank to the floor together, holding each other. Lea positioned Roxas in his lap, and smiled softly as Roxas leaned against him. Then Roxas shifted and turned so he could look up at him. They sat like that for awhile, just looking at each other. 

“Whatcha thinkin’ about?” asked Lea. 

“Kissing you,” said Roxas.

“Wait? Wha-” but before Lea could say more Roxas’s lips closed over his own. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Christmas

Lea knelt down by the fireplace used a small flash of magic to stoke the flames to life. It was another chilly day in Twilight Town, but as he softly hummed to himself he couldn’t believe how warm he felt inside. From outside, the soft voices of carolers drifted on the wind.

 _Silent as a_ [ _snowflake_](https://www.definitions.net/definition/snowflake) _in the_ [ _night_](https://www.definitions.net/definition/night)

_Holy is the_ [ _spirit_](https://www.definitions.net/definition/spirit) _of this_ [ _night_](https://www.definitions.net/definition/night)

_All the_ [ _world_](https://www.definitions.net/definition/world) _is calm and_ [ _peaceful_](https://www.definitions.net/definition/peaceful)

_All the_ [ _world_](https://www.definitions.net/definition/world) _is_ [ _bright_](https://www.definitions.net/definition/bright) _and_ [ _joyful_](https://www.definitions.net/definition/joyful)

“Heading out,” called Roxas, who was already dressed and headed for the door. 

“Where are you going?” asked Lea.

“You know what today is, don’t you?” asked Roxas.

“Day 8 since we moved in together,” asked Lea. 

“You’ve been counting,” laughed Roxas. 

“Well, someone once told me counting days can help you remember them all and I don’t want to miss a moment,” he said, getting to his feet. 

Roxas looked at him blankly for a moment. “Heh, guess I did say that,” he said, “I guess, now we’re together I haven’t been looking back.” 

“There was so much to worry about then,” said Lea, “even though I’d been convinced I couldn’t even worry. You know, I...I talked to-” He stopped himself. Sora was still missing and so was Kairi...Maybe better not to be reminded of the friends they didn't have there with them.

“Sora,” Roxas finished his sentence. “We...we shouldn’t pretend he doesn’t exist and he’ll be back one day, I’m sure of it. He and Kairi both ...somehow....” Roxas shook his head and turned to Lea. “What were you going to say.” 

“Hey weren’t you about to tell me what day it is?” asked Lea, hoping he could change the subject. He didn’t want to get too heavy and he’d already made things awkward as it was...even if Roxas was putting on a brave face since...well...since that’s what Sora would have done. 

“Oh, yeah right,” said Roxas. He paused and looked around. “Xion was in the shower when I came downstairs,” he explained, “I don’t want her overhearing in case she’s done and decides to head downstairs.” After he was convinced that Xion wasn’t going to appear right that moment he leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially. “It’s the day we’re going to pick up that thing you suggested.”

“Ohhh, right,” said Lea. “Wait, it was my idea? Why are you going?”

“Because if Xion asks where I am you can say I went to go hang out with Hayner and the gang or something,” said Roxas, “Whereas you don’t really have any other friends- Kidding!” Roxas added quickly. “Just kidding. But you know, since…. Well-”

“It’s fine,” said Lea, “you go. But why leave now instead of getting it in the morning?” 

“I figure we can open one gift on Christmas Eve and this should be it,” said Roxas. “I also don’t want bother the King and Queen on Christmas morning.”

“They’d probably invite you to stay for breakfast,” said Lea. 

Roxas just shrugged. “Still,” he said, “I’d rather be here and I’d rather do this tonight. I can’t wait to see the look on Xion’s face.” 

“Oh it’s something all right,” said Lea. “You weren’t there when she tried to adopt Oranges”

“Oranges?” asked Roxas.

“Well that’s what she’d have named Pluto,” said Lea, “because he's orange.”

“Sounds like Xion,” said Roxas. “Anyway, better get going. Be back tonight.” He gave a one-handed wave and headed out the door. Lea turned to admire the Christmas tree, already heaped with presents, to each other and from all their friends from all over.

He heard Xion padding down the stairs in a fluffy robe. She looked over at Lea. 

“Where’d Roxas go?”

“What am I, his keeper?” asked Lea.

“Well kind of,” she giggled, hopping off the stairs. She struck a pose and gave her best Axel impression. “I”ll always be there to bring you back...And you did.”

“Did I?” asked Lea.

“You loved us, and that was enough to help Roxas find his Heart within Sora and free himself. And enough for me to remember mine. I guess we all brought each other back to each other. All our hearts connected.”

Xion flopped down on the couch. 

“You want some cocoa?” asked Lea, “It’s a bit cold for ice cream.” 

“I’d love some,” said Xion. 

Lea gave her a smile and headed off to their partially-finished kitchen. They’d underestimated how much of a fixer up this place was but that was ok...all that mattered was that it was their place: together. 

He returned with two mugs of steaming Salted Vanilla Hot Chocolate with two marshmallow hearts in each cup. Lea handed Xion her drink and sat down beside her. 

“Hey,” he asked, “remember when you and Roxas asked me to move in together. Back when we were still with the Organization.”

Xion chuckled and took a sip of her drink. “I remember you being really negative about it.”

“I came around,” said Lea. “And now we’ve followed through with our proposal.”

“It’s nice,” said Xion, smiling. “I’m glad to spend my first Christmas with you. I know we had winter in the World that Never Was but we didn’t have Christmas. I like Christmas.” She took a sip of her drink. 

Lea sat back and enjoyed the sound of the fireplace crackling. Just enjoying being here together. “Bet you can’t guess what Roxas and I got you.” 

“Hmm? Is it something warm?” 

“Yup,” said Lea.

“Is it soft?” she asked. 

…

Roxas returned very late, nearly midnight in fact, with a large hat box in his arms. Lea met him at the door and reached out to help him carry it. 

“Let’s hope Xion opens it before this thing starts crying,” said Lea. 

“This thing is a girl, and your idea. Don’t worry, she fell asleep on the gummi ship,” said Roxas, “and was still asleep when I put her in the box outside.”

They made their way to the tree and Roxas sat down, the box on his lap. Lea headed upstairs to get Xion.

“Come on, Roxas is back,” said Lea, “it’s time to open your gift.” 

“Took him long enough,” Xion teased. “Since it’s technically Christmas now, can I open all the gifts or still just one?” She asked as she followed him down the stairs. 

“Just one,” said Axel. “That one.” He pointed towards the tree. When she saw Roxas sitting under the tree with the large box her face let up brighter than Christmas lights. Xion rushed over to him. 

“What is it?”

“I’ll give you a hint,” said Lea, “it has a ribbon.”

Xion gently pulled the lip off the box and found a puppy looking up at her.

“PUPPY!” she screamed, pulling the little thing from the box and holding it to herself. “I love it! I love it so much!” 

The puppy immediately began to lick her face. 

“You were right,” said Roxas, “her face is priceless.”

“Where did she come from?” asked Xion.

“Well,” said Lea, “The King mentioned that Pluto and Fifi.”

“Fifi?” asked Xion.

“That’s Queen Minnie’s dog, little Pekinese,” said Roxas.

“Well anyway,” said Lea, “he told me they were having puppies and I asked if I- if we could get one for you. Kind of weird mix, but she’s friendly.”  
  
“She’s perfect,” said Xion. “Don’t call her weird.”

“Well, objectively, big dog small dog crosses are a bit funny looking,” said Lea, “they’re like little squashed versions of Pluto.” 

“How many puppies were there?” asked Xion.

“Five,” said Roxas, “Quin-puplets.”

Lea groaned loudly. “Do you _have_ to?”

“I thought it was funny,” said Xion.

“You also think your little yellow potato puppy is cute,” he teased, “so how much weight should I give to your opinion.”

“She is cute!” said Xion and then burst out laughing and couldn’t stop. 

“What’s so funny?” asked Lea.

“Well,” she said, “I told you I couldn’t wait to fight over stupid stuff and now we are and I love it.” 

Lea found himself laughing too. Despite all his fears and doubts and warnings, the future didn’t scare him anymore. There was nowhere in all the world’s he’d rather be than here. Moving in together had definitely hadn’t been such a bad idea. 

  
  
  
  
  



	4. New Years

Lea sat on the ledge of the clock tower, one leg dangling over the ledge and the other knee pulled up as he casually leaned on one hand. In his other he held Roxas’s hand as they sat close together. He stared out over the dark rooftops and pin pricks of lights from windows and street lamps. It was dark, the sun had long since set. 

“Feels kind of weird, being up here so late,” said Roxas. “And kind of cold.”

Lea shifted to wrap and arm around Roxas’s shoulder. “That help?”

“Yeah,” said Roxas. He leaned into Lea. The smell of his hair was like vanilla and ocean air. 

“It’s gonna be worth it once the fireworks start,” said Lea, “best view in the city. And-” He fished his Gummiphone out of his pocket. “Only a few more minutes to go.” 

“Too bad Xion’s not here,” said Roxas, “but she just can’t leave Clementine all alone.” 

“Well, I kind of don’t mind,” said Lea. He turned to look Roxas in the eyes. “Kind of nice, having some time just you and me and I also wanted to show you-”

“Hey-” Roxas cut him off, “sorry, I just remembered. The other day, you were going to tell me something Sora told you but then you didn’t-Sorry again, I just meant to ask you and I don’t want to forget again.”

“Oh,” said Lea. “Um...what were we talking about the other day?”

“We were talking about,” he paused, “not looking back? Ironically and you said Sora told you something.”

“Oh yeah, that,” said Lea,“ok...well…” he sighed heavily. How to say this without sounding profoundly stupid. “Well, Sora said that he felt what you felt, and he knew we had hearts and Xehanort said...Hearts regrow...something about nurturing the Heart. It got me thinking. Xehanort wanted us empty so he could take us over so he told us we didn’t have Hearts because if we believed it then we wouldn’t...Hearts can be nurtured, like adding kindle to a flame. If you don’t feed it though it’ll fade and go out. Fire needs kindling, what do Hearts need.”

“Friendship?” asked Roxas.

“Yeah,” said Lea. “Caring for another person. When I met you I’d been with the Organization for so long and I was so sure I was just pretending. Going through the motions based on what I remembered. I did-I did terrible things and I didn’t care at all. Nothing mattered. It was...freeing and terrible. I’d lost me. Then I went through the motions of making friends. It’s what Lea would do so Axel did it. But you-you were different. I was memory and no feeling, you-you were all emotion and nothing else. You loved me. When you thought I’d been destroyed you worried, you cared. You gave your heart to me and mine started growing. I never really understood, not then, but I know now. Our Hearts are connected, you gave me yours and because of that mine grew enough that I could actually care.”

“Care enough to die for me,” said Roxas. 

“Did you? Were you aware? Inside Sora?”asked Lea.

“I was screaming,” said Roxas. “It hurt, so much that I pulled him into me, into us...whatever place our Hearts were and we fought.” He shook his head. “I couldn’t believe you’d do that for him.”

“Roxas-” said Lea, “I did it for you.”

“Huh?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. 

“Roxas, after you were gone all I could think about was getting you back. You made me feel alive and I needed that,” said Lea, “but that wasn’t love, that was selfish, desperate, hungry...I didn’t care what was best for you. I’d rip Sora’s very being apart just to have you back and it didn’t matter if that was what you wanted or what was best. As far as I knew I was dragging you back into a cursed half-life and no plan for the future except a likelihood we’d both fade to nothing, but I couldn’t take not having you. Not until Sora was in danger and if died, what happened to you?” 

“Axel,” said Roxas. “It’s ok-we’re all, all right now.”

  
“I know,” said Lea, “But let me finish, I need to say this. I think that was the moment my Heart regrew all the way. Enough to really love you. To not care about me or what I wanted and to just care about you and give you the only thing I could. A chance to exist, even if it was as Sora. Maybe that was being complete. It would have been for me. If I could be Lea again. So I gave everything in that attacked, my whole being and there nothing left and it would have been all right because you made me feel human again, whole...like-”

“Like you had a Heart,” said Roxas.

“And I did, because of you,” said Lea. “I love you.” The bells on the clock tower began to chime. “Oh, it’s midnight…” The sudden ringing caught him off guard. Then the whistle and boom of fireworks began. 

“Yeah,” said Roxas. “Oh hey, you wanted to show me something. Is it too late?”

“No,” said Lea, “it’s right on time.” He reached out and gently cupped Roxas’s chin, tilting his head up ever so slightly. “What I wanted to show you was a little New Year’s tradition.” Lea leaned down and kissed Roxas. Their lips were warm against each other and as they touched it was like Roxas was melting into him, just warm and soft, body, souls and Hearts connected. Like two flames merging into a roaring blaze. 

Fireworks filled the sky; colorful explosions that bloomed like flowers made of sparks. On the ledge of the Clock Tower high above Twilight Town two boys, no longer eternal lost teenagers, were instead lost in each other’s kiss. 


End file.
